


Castles Made of Sand

by SarahUndomiel



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Cute Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider Needs a Hug, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Princess Regent Rapunzel, Season 3, Sick Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider, Sickfic, Whump, Worried Rapunzel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29229492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahUndomiel/pseuds/SarahUndomiel
Summary: Because Rapunzel stepping up as Princess Regent for her parents didn't make their lives crazy enough, Eugene gets sick... really sick.Mostly just an excuse for some Eugene whump and worried Rapunzel.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 10
Kudos: 35





	Castles Made of Sand

**Author's Note:**

> Because I needed yet another work in progress in yet another fandom on this site...
> 
> But then again who wouldn't want to play in this sandbox?

_Oh, Eugene was going to be so excited to hear about the visitors from Ingvarr!_

Eugene loved a good party, and ever since they’d returned to Corona after their travels they had all been so busy with all of the changes that needed to happen as a result of her parent’s lost memories that there just hadn’t been a lot of time for such things other than the single day of celebration when she had officially been declared the Princess Regent. Of course it was important that they put their best foot forward and show that the kingdom was just as strong under her rule as that of her parents, but entertaining diplomats would still be the perfect excuse for a bit of fun. Seeing as how the diplomats were Ingvarrian, a tournament would be fun for certain! And maybe she could get Attila to make those new cheese danishes he’d been experimenting with for the feast?

Her head full of party plans, she skipped down the hall to Eugene’s bedroom. Her boyfriend hadn’t been at breakfast that morning, but considering how late they had stayed up the night before she hadn’t been too worried. He never had been as much of a morning person as she was.

Gently she rapped on his door. “Eugene, wait ‘til you hear who’s coming!” There was no answer. _Surely he couldn’t still be sleeping?_ She knocked again, a bit louder this time. “Eugene?” She was about to turn around and go look for him somewhere else, convinced he must already be up after all and she’d just missed him when she heard what sounded like a moan from inside the room. Cautiously she turned the doorknob and poked her head in. “Eugene?” she whispered one more time.

The room was dark for mid-morning, the curtains she’d helped hang just last week still drawn and the fire from the night before burned out, but she could easily make out the lump in the middle of the mattress where her love had apparently curled up under every blanket he owned, which seemed excessive seeing as how it was barely autumn.

The lump gave another moan followed by a whimper so soft that she never would have heard it through the closed door. Softly she tiptoed over to the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress, resting her hand on what she assumed must be the lump’s shoulder. “Eugene?”

The lump shifted and slowly the blankets moved until his beautiful face hesitantly emerged from underneath. “M’rning, Sunshine,” he mumbled softly, a gentle smile turning up the corners of his lips. The adoring look in his eyes made her heart ache for just how much she loved this man but also for the way those same eyes were bloodshot and his cheeks tear-stained. 

“Eugene, what’s wrong?

“Well, don’t tell the chef, but I do not think I should have eaten that last tart at dinner. I’ve never felt anything sit so heavy in my stomach,” he mumbled as she reached out to brush the mussed hair from his forehead. She jerked her hand back sharply when she felt the heat radiating off his skin before tenderly settling it back into his hair and using her thumb to caress his temple. “Feels like it’s stabbing me all the way through.”

“You feel like you’re burning up.”

Eugene looked confused. “No, I don’t get sick. It’s just a stomach ache.”

Rapunzel frowned. “Stomach aches from overeating don’t usually cause a fever. I think I’m going to get the royal physician just in case.”

She was surprised when Eugene shook his head emphatically at that. He wasn’t usually someone who resisted seeing a doctor. Sure he tended to try to brush off most injuries like they were nothing until she’d catch him trying to treat himself, but all the times he’d been seriously hurt he’d never actually seemed scared to have someone look at him. He was right though. Since they’d been together, outside of injuries, she’d never seen him sicker than an occasional bad headache.

“He could give you something to help it stop hurting.”

“Or he could give me something that he says will make it stop hurting but turns out I’m allergic to, and then I spend the rest of the day puking my guts out until Lance brings me some kind of magic tea that neutralizes its effects.” _Well that was oddly specific._ “Trust me, Blondie. I’ll be fine without involving the royal physician. I just need to sleep it off.”

Rapunzel wasn’t entirely certain that she was convinced, but then Eugene did usually know his body’s limits… “Alright - If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure. I’ve hurt worse than this before and been just fine.”

“I could stay with you if you want?”

Eugene shook his head again, but this time it was a gentler shake accompanied by a weak smile. “No, I’ll be alright. You’ve got people who need you.”

Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to his flushed forehead, “But you need me too.”

“Well that’s true, but I’m just going to be sleeping, won’t even be awake to enjoy you fussing over me, so there’s really no reason for you to sit here bored.”

“You promise you’ll be okay?”

“I promise, Sunshine. Go on. I’m sure you’ve got people waiting for you.”

She really didn’t want to leave, but he was right. She had a council meeting just about… well now actually. If he’d asked her to stay, she’d cancel it in a heartbeat, but when he was telling her to go…

Slowly she made herself stand and smooth out his blankets, a gentle squeeze of the hand he held out to her from under the covers as she did so, one more kiss, to his temple this time, and she was as ready as she was going to get to leave him. “I’ll come back and check on you this afternoon.”

His eyes were already blinking heavily again. “I’ll be here,” he whispered as she backed out of the room.

  
  


He hadn’t meant to lie.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely certain how long this is going to be. I have a couple of ideas about where I'd like to take this, but who knows if it will stay short or if it will spiral out of control as stories are wont to do...
> 
> Please tell me in the comments what you think?


End file.
